At the end of June, a little boy was born once again while driving in a taxi company 7×7. “This is the third child born in one of our taxis,” says Ilaria Galati (30), sales manager at 7×7 Taxi in Kloten ZH, to Blick.
Parents, Thomas (35) and Brenda Shinkles-Palacios (36), are still overwhelmed almost four weeks after birth: “We never dreamed that our little Fernando would be born in a taxi,” says native Salvadoran .
The birth was completely unexpected. “Actually, we were on our way to a pregnancy test,” says the native German. Fernando should not have been born for another seven weeks. Accordingly, we “imagined the trip a little differently,” Shinkles says.
Birth of Blitz in Five Minutes
Brenda Shinkles-Palacios reports early morning complaints. However, since the birth had not yet taken place, the couple waited for some time. “Shortly before 9.30 am we boarded a taxi in the direction of Trimali city hospital.” And then it all happened in quick succession, according to Thomas Shinkles.
The contractions got stronger and suddenly there was little Fernando. “It wasn’t a five-minute drive,” says the nurse. So the boy was born a few streets away from his house.
Fortunately, his wife was not alone. “My mom had a seizure and so was part of the taxi ride.” Of course he helped as much as possible.
When the child was there, even the taxi driver did not know what was happening to him. “He turned around and just muttered, ‘Here’s the baby! And my car…'”, says Brenda Shinkles-Palacios. The couple then called an ambulance and the child was treated at Trimli Hospital in Zurich.
Ramona Krueger, 22, the sales coordinator at 7×7 Taxi Company, took a call from the driver in whose car the baby was born. “When he told me about the birth, at first I thought I couldn’t hear well. It looked like the driver was too prepared,” Krueger told Blick. Of course, he immediately arranged for the cleaning of the vehicle.
Police escort for taxi birth
Taxi driver Aschi Stutz (74) knows what it’s like when a baby is born in the back seat – he’s the second “taxi daddy” from 7×7: In April 2016, a little girl was born in his taxi.
«I had a driving order at Oberengstringen ZH. When I got there, I saw a man waving wildly around and next to him his wife, who was already moaning in pain, » says Stutz to Blick.
They quickly made their way to the Kalkbreite maternity clinic. Meanwhile, contractions became more and more frequent. The amniotic sac then ruptured in the middle of the Europa Bridge in the heart of Zurich. “Then I knew: now we have to hurry.” Stutz has now notified the police as well. “I told him I needed an escort. Because it was a Friday evening, the traffic was heavy,” Stutz said.
“The car looked accordingly”
Despite the police escort, the driver lost in the race in time: The child was born in the back seat shortly before the clinic. “The car looked accordingly.”
But it is secondary. “If you’re allowed to be a part of such a beautiful event, you’re happy with the mess.” A day later, Aschi Stutz also visited the family in the hospital. “The couple were extremely grateful and happy that everything went well.”
Thomas Shinkles sees it the same: “We are just thankful that Fernando is healthy and everything went smoothly.” It doesn’t matter: “When Fernando was there, he was still wearing the umbilical cord. He also turned a little blue, which worried us.”
As it turned out in the hospital, the parents were worried in vain. Fernando was completely healthy. However, since he was born a few weeks earlier, Fernando had to stay in the hospital for two more weeks. Now the whole family is back home. Together they enjoy time together.
